


Racing Towards Love

by Casey_Wolfe



Category: Fast and the Furious Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bodyguard!Carter, Bodyguard!Dom, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Violence, Racer!Brian, Rare Pairings, Romance, UST to RST
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-02
Updated: 2014-08-06
Packaged: 2018-02-11 12:03:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2067447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Casey_Wolfe/pseuds/Casey_Wolfe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Famous racer Brian O’Conner has never been one for bodyguards, but he makes an exception for Dom and Carter.  Perhaps it’s because he secretly loves them, perhaps it’s because they secretly love him.  Whatever it is, it takes a bizarre and dangerous racing season to finally bring them all together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CourtneyMichelleLover](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CourtneyMichelleLover/gifts).



> Based on a suggestion from CourtneyMichelle- she wanted to see our boys as bodyguards for Brian. After I came up with the concept and started outlining I joked that it sounded like Tony Stark, so I decided to hide some “Iron Man” Easter Eggs within the story.  Also it should be noted I know nothing about Formula One racing. I did a bunch of research but if there's things that are wrong I'm afraid you'll just have to ignore it as I did my best.
> 
> EDIT: With the release of Furious 7 it should be noted that this was written and posted BEFORE the name change happened with Statham's character. Hence why Deckard's name is Ian in the fic as that was the name they were going with up until shortly before the movie released.

Brian smiled that megawatt grin as he stepped off the bus to a swarm of reporters and cameras flashing.  His two bodyguards weren’t so thrilled.  Dom cleared a path through the crowd while Carter stayed behind Brian, occasionally having to prod the man forward- _gently_ \- with a hand on his back.  Naturally, the blonde only half obeyed, stopping every once and awhile to sign something from an excited fan that had somehow managed to invade the press area, or offer a picture to the paparazzi.

“The concept of 'getting into the building' confusing there O’Conner?” Dom groused as they entered the Circuit of the Americas, the site for the Formula One Grand Prix held in Austin.

The blonde gave him his usual easy smile.  “Relax Dom.  It’s just a few fans.  A couple pictures.”

His bodyguard glared at him.  Carter gave a shrug- it was an old argument.  The brunette was confident in their ability to protect Brian and thus had stopped trying to make the famous racer do what he was going to do regardless.

“The crew should already be setting up in the pits if you’d like to check on them before the press conference,” Carter offered.  “We have time.”

It was the same for every race- press events on Thursday, two practice runs on Friday, another practice on Saturday before qualifying later that day, and finally the actual race on Sunday.  All the downtime between practices, the crew would be spending adjusting everything they could to give Brian the absolute best chance.  It was their third race of the season and Brian was proving why he was one of the top racers to beat.

“Lets go,” Brian prompted, adjusting the backpack on his shoulder.

Dom sighed, earlier anger waning.  He reached out, pulling on the brim of Brian’s ball-cap with their team logo.  The blonde batted his hand away, laughing.  The pair settled in on either side of him, much more relaxed now that they were inside away from the crowds for the time being.  Brian was used to their sudden changes- friendly and calm one moment and nothing but business the next.  Then again, that was the nature of them being both his bodyguards and his friends.

Brian was sure his father hadn’t counted on him to become so close to them when they had been hired.  Because he was the CEO to a major international weapons manufacturer, his dad had been assigning bodyguards to him since he was young.  Granted, Brian had also learned to shake them and was a general headache for his old man.

Once Brian went into the Formula One scene as a career, his father was even more adamant about having security around him.  Being in the public eye put him at more risk.  So Brian had reluctantly allowed his father’s goon squad to follow him around but none really stuck until Dom.

Dom was down to earth and fun to be around.  It also didn’t hurt that he knew his stuff when it came to cars and the pair bonded almost immediately.  What was most telling was when Brian couldn’t shake the man like he had always been able to with his other guards and so the racer eventually stopped trying.  The same couldn’t be said of the others his father tried to throw at him, but at least he had built a solid relationship with Dom.

About a year later, they ended up with Carter.  The man wasn’t your typical bodyguard-type.  He came from a family of privilege himself but like Brian he’d just wanted to escape.  An Ivy League school and taking over his family’s firm wasn’t in the cards, so he ended up going into the field of protection detail on a whim.  Turned out he was damn good at it and Brian enjoyed his company as much as Dom’s. Apparently Dom had felt the same as the man stuck.

As they got out to the track, Dom slipped his black jacket off, tossing it over his shoulder.  It revealed the Glock he carried in a shoulder holster but he wasn’t worried about that out in the pits.  He really hated the dress clothing they had to wear during events.  He would have much rather been in his jeans and a tee like Brian was.

Carter was the one who was comfortable in this sort of get-up.  Granted, it was a good look for him- the grey shirt accented his eyes and went great with the simple black slacks and jacket.  Dom swore the man couldn’t actually dress down if his life depended on it- designer jeans and fitted tees were _not_ casual, no matter what the man claimed.

Getting to the pit, they found the crew already hard at work unpacking everything to be set up for the first practice runs the next morning.  There was always a lot of safety checks after traveling.  One thing off on an F1 car could prove fatal.  If there was one thing Carter and Dom could _always_ agree on, it was that Brian’s safety was their top priority.

They may not have been able to check the car themselves- even all of Dom’s knowledge didn’t allow him to know the little quirks of a car like this.  However, they did thorough background checks on _all_ staff and crew, and they had watched every newcomer to the team like hawks.  As it stood, the men responsible for Brian’s car had earned their trust, especially the pair of veterans who were greeting them as soon as they entered.

“Yo Bri!” Jesse called out, trotting over.  “Everything looks like it arrived in one piece.”

Leon joined them, nodding his head as he wiped his hands on a rag.  “She’s gonna kick ass on this track.  Weather conditions are going to be _perfect._ ”

“Lets make this our year, yeah?” Brian told them, patting his head mechanic on the shoulder.  They hadn’t worked so hard in the off season to perfect his car for them not to take home the top ranking.

Nodding in agreement, Leon replied, “We’re ready.”  They were heading into their workspace when the brunette paused though, looking over to the pit next to theirs.  It belonged to Vince and said man was just arriving as well.  The way Leon looked him over was so obvious and Brian only smirked as he hip-checked him.  “What?  Yeah… sorry.”

“Why don’t you ask him out already?” the blonde inquired, causing Leon to blush.

Jesse was the one to pipe up though.  “He doesn’t think V swings that way.”

“I’d be willing to take bets,” Brian barked out in response.

Carter rolled his eyes, planting himself in the corner of the work area out of the way.  He knew nothing about cars nor was he planning to learn.  Rather he removed his jacket- revealing the SIG Sauer at his hip- and placed it on the back of the chair before sitting.

On the other hand, Dom tossed his jacket almost haphazardly aside, hovering near Brian as he looked over some readouts the team had put together.  He was much more involved with this aspect of Brian’s life and honestly Carter didn’t mind.  He and Brian had other things in common, just as he and Dom did.  It was what made them work.

As though hearing his thoughts, Dom looked up at him and smiled.

He knew he’d been caught- had been on more than one occasion in fact.  Still, Carter couldn’t find it in himself to care.  He knew what Dom and Brian meant to him, and if this was the only way he’d ever have them then he would find a way to be satisfied with that.

* * *

The press event was getting ready to start, all of the drivers gathered up on the stage.  Dom and Carter were standing off to the side against the wall as always.  They had long since stopped lamenting aloud how they couldn’t stand right next to their charge, though they still did so silently.  No, they would have to settle for as close to the stage as they could possibly get.

Most of the other drivers didn’t even have their private guards in the room with them.  Instead they trusted the event security to handle any issues.  To the two of them, that was just laughable.  Most had nowhere near the amount of experience as a personal bodyguard and they certainly hadn’t been trained for protecting high-value targets- which was no easy task.

“Everything look good to you Eagle Eyes?” Dom inquired, giving a cheeky grin as the brunette rolled his eyes at the nickname.

“The normal sharks in the water,” he answered, pausing before adding, “Papa Bear.”

That made Dom chuckle though he was quick to school his features- they were supposed to be working after all.  It only spoke to how they’d grown attached to one another that they could have moments like that- Dom teasing his partner about his uncanny abilities to see every small detail around them, while Carter returned the favor with pointing out how brutal the other could be when crossed.  Carter was the first partner Brian’s father had assigned them that he felt at ease around and if Dom had it his way, it would be the last reassignment they ever needed.

“Ten o’clock,” said brunette’s voice drifted to his ears.

Dom looked at where he was indicating, finding the last stragglers moving towards the stage.  They were rivals of Brian’s and had become outright violent in the past.  The guards always had an extra eye for them, even though Brian liked to laugh it off and play it down as he always did.  He would say the worst they were capable of was throwing a punch- “ _A shitty one at that”_ \- and weren’t about to up the stakes to murder.  They weren’t about to take any chances.

Brian laughed at something his fellow racer said, just shaking his head in amusement.  Roman Pearce had been on the pro circuit about as long as he had and become a pretty good friend over those years.  In an industry as highly competitive as theirs was it was more likely to breed animosity than friendship- especially when someone placed well as Brian tended to do- so he took what he could get.

This season had thus far been particularly good to him and that meant the tension was high between himself and a lot of the others.  It was days like these he was glad to have his far nicer competitors like Rome around, and even more thankful for Dom and Carter.  Thinking of his guards he looked up to find them and smiled when he caught their eye.

Carter gave him a thumbs up while Dom gave an encouraging nod, both smiling softly at him.  That was all the encouragement he needed, putting on a bright grin of his own as his attention was drawn to the reporters when things were called to order.

All the drivers were introduced- including a handful of rookies- and then immediately the questions began.  Most were general questions for anyone who wanted to answer but there were always those interviewers who wanted someone’s input on something or other.

“O’Conner,” one reporter inquired, “you’ve been doing very well in the season.  How do you think you’ll do on this track?”

“Y’know, I really think the team’s been on point this year,” he answered.  “So I’m pretty confident.  This is the type of track that lends itself to my driving style so I expect a good run.”

“Your style Buster?” Vince spoke, raising a brow.  “You mean complete cowboy right?”

Brian laughed.  “Yeah, somethin’ like that.”  

Banter with Vince was nothing new.  They were rivals but not heated ones.  They’d pick at each other, throw big talk around, but it had never gotten out of hand.  It was all in good sport as far as Brian was concerned- nothing like Ian Shaw and some of the others. A few of their more catty fights were the stuff of legends among fans, most getting a kick out of what they saw as a healthy competitive streak between the two.

In truth, things _had_ on occasion gotten out of hand with them, but it was just words and Brian had learned to let that go long before he was in the public eye.  He’d always been the blonde pretty boy and so he was used to bullies and harsh words.  It wasn’t anything that could cut into him, that he couldn’t shake.  Vince could be an asshole all he wanted, that didn’t change the way he raced.

Since Vince had spoken up, the press jumped on the opportunity to ask about his thoughts on their standings.  They were right against each other and the last race had ended in a close one between them.  The scruffy brunette of course was his usual borderline cocky self as he answered, “I ain’t worried.  I’m in this to win it and I don’t care if it’s Brian or anyone else up here… I’m gonna take ‘em out if they get in my way.”

“Ya gotta back up your words better, Hunter,” Ian spoke up.  “As I seem to recall, you were below me in stakes and last season we wiped the floor with you- along with just about everyone else.”

Vince snorted, growling out, “That was _last_ season, Shaw.  Just don’t go home cryin’ when you end up eating the rest of our exhaust this year.”

“Unlikely,” Fenix threw back, sitting next to Shaw.  The rookie driver followed Ian around like a puppy and frankly it annoyed Brian to no end.  It was far from the veteran’s only follower of course but as least some of them could back it up.  Fenix was _not_ one of those people.

The press event continued, all of them answering questions and getting people excited for the weekend of races.  There were more jabs traded- but that just came with the territory- and some were more barbed than others.  Not that it threw Brian off his game who finished things strong and flashed his patented grin at the cameras.

As Brian joined his pair of guards, he heard laughing behind him.  Turning, he found Ian, Fenix, and a couple of Shaw’s other lackeys.  “See you brought the puppies with you,” Ian sneered, referring to Dom and Carter who simply glared at him.  “They follow you into the john too O’Conner?”

At that, Brian gave him a coy grin.  “No… but they do enjoy staying in my bed.”  He laughed at the part shocked, part disgusted face the other driver made, turning his back on him with a satisfied expression.  “Shall we?” he inquired of the pair, arms looping with theirs.  Both of them could only laugh as well, going along with it and escorting Brian out of the event hall.

When they made it back outside they broke apart while laughing hysterically.  “Oh the look on his face!” Brian managed, holding his sides.

“Was that supposed to be a hint, Bri?” Carter purred into his ear.  What the blonde had said was a bluff- they certainly weren’t sleeping together.  Not that they all hadn’t thought about it at some point or other, though they had no way of knowing the others felt the same.  Instead, they all took the playful flirting with a grain of salt.

“Maybe,” Brian teased right back.  As he turned to look at Carter however, he found their faces inches apart.  Both men blushed, stepping away from each other and pretending as though nothing were amiss.

Of course Dom hadn’t missed it.  Trying to lighten the mood, but also attempting to let them know his feelings on the matter, he asked, “Do Carter an’ I get overtime for that?”

Sure enough, Brian laughed, knocking their hips together as he started walking again.  “I’m sure I can figure out some… incentives,” he threw back with a wink.

“I’m down,” was Dom’s reply, glancing over at Carter as they started to trail their client.  “What ‘bout you _Amorcito_?”  Carter flushed again, muttering under his breath.  “What was that?”

“You’re trying to kill me, Carino _._ I swear it.”

“No coming up with cute pet names without me,” Brian called back.  Of course they couldn’t see the way his cheeks were lit up.

That time it was Carter’s turn to be the cheeky one as he replied, “As you wish Corizon,” being sure to add an accent.

“ _Si, mi Tesoro,_ ” Dom answered obediently.

Shaking his head, Brian turned to walk backwards, hands shoved into his pockets.  “If I need to come up with something in Spanish, yer gonna have to wait awhile.”

Dom snorted.  “The problem with taking French.”

Brian gave him a sly smile- perhaps he’d come up with something after all.  “Y’know what they say Dom… French is the language of love.  Spanish is the language of tacos.”

They all laughed at that, though as Brian turned back around once again Carter was at his shoulder, speaking breathily in his ear.  “I think you’ve not been properly educated in Spanish then… _Mi Amor._ ” There was no missing the shiver from Brian and the brunette backed off with a cat-like grin on his face.

The mood was broken by a pretty blonde reporter who approached them.  “Brian!  Remember me?” she asked, batting her long lashes and giving him a charming smile.

Brian however barely gave her a cursory look as he replied, “Sure don’t,” continuing on his way to the track.  The look of utter shock on her face was priceless- Dom and Carter wouldn’t deny enjoying every tantalizing second of her heartbreak.

* * *

The race was going as planned.  Brian slipped into an early lead, as had Rome and Shaw.  Vince had somehow managed to overtake him but the race was a long way from over.  Everything was running smoothly until disaster struck.

“Oh fuck!” Leon cursed.  Behind him, Jesse, Dom, and Carter stared at the monitors in disbelief.  “Bri!  Turn 11!  Vince just wiped out!”

Brian thanked him for the warning, knowing the blind corner would mean not seeing the wreckage in time to correct.  When he took the turn moments later he was shocked to find the car slammed against the wall on its side, flames starting to lick at it.  Without thought, Brian pulled his own car off the track, taking the chance of being hit himself to run back to the wreck.

“Vince!” he yelled, shielding his face from the growing flames.  “Come on man!”  Vince had managed to unstrap himself but was having issues getting out.  The blonde wrapped his arms under the others, using his better leverage to haul him out.  As he was doing so the rescue crew was arriving, just in time for the rest of the car to go up in flames.

“Fuck man!” Vince cursed, holding onto his ribs.  He was leaning heavily on Brian and their eyes met through their helmet visors.

It wasn’t until they'd been driven back to the pits, when they had their helmets off and Vince was getting put on a stretcher that anything more was said between them.  “Fuck Buster,” the brunette grumbled.  “What kindda crazy ass thing was that to pull?”

Brian grinned at him, giving a little shrug.  “Couldda just left ya.”

Vince gave a huffing laugh, wincing as his chest constricted in pain.  “Yeah, well…” he grimaced, taking a shaky breath, “Glad you didn’t.”  He grabbed hold of Brian’s hand before they could put him into the ambulance.  “Thanks dawg.  I mean it… I’m sorry I’ve been such an ass to you.”

“Forget it.”  Brian squeezed his hand.  “Get better man.”  Vince gave him a little salute as he was slid into the ambulance, headed straight for the hospital to check on all his injuries- especially those ribs.

As the ambulance was pulling away, Dom, Carter, and the rest of the crew was coming up.  “Damnit Brian!” Dom scolded, pulling him into a hug.  “Do you have to give us a heart attack like that?”

“Yeah dude,” Jesse spoke up, “that was some crazy shit.”

Carter hugged him next, shaking his head.  “Proud of you though,” he assured.  “All of us.”  Dom nodded in agreement.

“Is V gonna be okay?” Leon asked, frown lines on his brow, and Brian assured him the man would be just fine.

“Well, looks like I screwed that race,” Brian noted, watching his car being hauled back along with Vince’s burnt out shell of a car.  It was going to be hell getting a new one together for the season- that was if Vince would even be cleared to drive.  Somebody’s life was worth more than the race though.

“Don’t worry about it,” Dom offered, ruffling his hair.  “How ‘bout Carter and I treat you tonight?  You deserve it.”

Brian grinned.  How could he argue with that?

* * *

The next race was the Singapore Grand Prix and it promised to be a doozy.  They were all in the pits when Vince wandered over, waving when Brian looked up.  “Hey man,” the blonde greeted, meeting him outside the shop area.  “You’re lookin’ better.”

“Yeah,” he replied sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck, “thanks to you.”

“Don’t worry about it man.  You’d have done the same.”

Vince smirked.  “Not so sure ‘bout that one Buster,” he joked.  As Brian laughed, the brunette continued, “So hey, wanna go out for a drink tonight?”  Dom and Carter scowled, trading looks with each other, while Leon appeared completely crushed.  Before any of them could get too worked up though, Vince added, “Yer whole team and mine.  Whaddaya say?”

“Sounds great,” Brian answered, popping him lightly in the shoulder.

When Vince hissed, the blonde quickly apologized.  Vince only chuckled and winked though.  “Gottcha.  Still just a Buster.”

“Oh fuck off!” Brian called out to him as he headed for his own pit.  Vince didn’t even turn around, just held up his hand in farewell.

Brian could only smile.  He was glad they would be able to put all the tension and rivalry behind them.  It would be nice to start forming a proper friendship with the man.

* * *

There was a call from Nick Tanner, the Vice President of O’Conner Industries and best friend to Brian’s father.  It was unexpected but certainly not unusual.  His father Michael wasn’t above using Nick as a go-between.  He knew Brian would respond better to Tanner's prodding than his own, and honestly Brian had a great relationship with the man who had acted as a substitute parent when his own was always absent.

Of course Brian never expected the news Tanner had for him.  “Your dad’s in the hospital.  They don’t think he’s gonna hang on much longer…  You need to come home kiddo.”

Brian was in such shock that he couldn’t reply.  He lost the grip on his cell, causing it to clatter to the floor.  He wasn’t sure how long he’d been standing there before his two guards came in from their adjoining room.  “Bri?” Dom asked in concern, going to him and grabbing his shoulders.  “Hey, what’s wrong?”

His eyes were wide and he opened his mouth to answer except nothing would come out.  

Carter frowned, picking up the dropped cellphone and putting it to his ear.  “Verone.”  He too couldn’t hide the surprise on his face, though he managed to catch himself.  “Alright Sir, we’ll get things arranged here.  We’ll inform you of the flight plan.”  He paused.  “We will Sir.  Goodbye.”

“What’s going on?” Dom demanded when Carter hung up.

“Michael collapsed.  Brain aneurysm.  Tanner says we should get back to LA as soon as possible.”

“Damn.”  Brian was still just standing there and Dom sighed, pulling him in close.  Carter moved in to wrap his arms from the side as well.  “We’re here, Bri,” he assured before reluctantly letting go, moving him to sit in a nearby chair.

Carter looked over at Dom.  “Call the team and let them know.  I’ll go call the flight crew.”  Dom nodded.  The brunette leaned down to kiss Brian’s forehead, fingers carding through his hair a moment in comfort- there were no words to say to make it better.

Instead, both men did what they could for Brian, handling the arrangements to get them back home on the private jet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spanish translations: Amorcito= love, lover; Carino= darling, dear; Corizon= sweetheart; Mi Tesoro= my treasure; Mi Amor= my love


	2. Chapter 2

Unfortunately they weren’t fast enough.  Michael O’Conner passed away mere hours before they had touched down at LAX.  Brian sat in complete silence in the family compound, gazing out at the ocean view.  There had been a steady stream of friends and associates calling and stopping by since the announcement was made but Brian hadn’t seen any of them except Tanner.

There had never been much in the way of family for the O’Conner men- save for Nick in Michael’s case, or Dom and Carter for Brian.  Granted, Brian supposed his father hadn’t felt quite the same way towards his best friend as he did towards his bodyguards, but then he wasn’t one to say.

He’d never really known his father- they’d never particularly gotten along, always focused on different things, always butting heads.  They were polar opposites in most ways.  In others they were exactly alike.  Neither of which helped in their love-hate relationship.

A cup appeared in front of his face and he looked up to find Carter standing there.  “Tea?” he offered and Brian smiled up at him, accepting it gratefully.  Carter sat in the chair next to the couch, blowing on his own cup of tea while Brian curled his legs underneath him, getting more comfortable.

“Thank you,” he mentioned.

“ Not a problem.”  Carter gave a little grin as he added, “Just happy to see you smile.” A slight blush crept up Brian’s cheeks and he tried to hide it behind his cup.  Of course Carter saw but was kind enough not to say anything.  They sat in silence for a bit, just enjoying the view, their tea, and each other’s company.

Dom’s voice drifted into the room.  “Carter?”

“In here,” he called back.

Walking in, Dom frowned seeing Brian.  He had such an air of sadness surrounding him, so unusual from his energetic, bright self.  It hurt Dom something fierce.  He stopped behind the couch, bending over to drop a kiss on the top of Brian’s head before looking to Carter.  “Have a minute?”

Carter nodded, setting his tea on the end table and following Dom into the hallway.  “What is it?”

“Tanner called me.”  He sighed.  “He’s gotten all the funeral arrangements but… there’s gonna have to be a press conference and he’s gonna need to have Bri involved.”

“What?  No way.  Brian can’t handle that right now.  It’s too soon.”

“I know.”  Dom pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to fight back the impending headache.  “But Bri’s technically the head of the company now and they need him to make all these decisions…”  He sighed heavily, leaning back against the wall.  “This sucks so bad,” he concluded.

“Agreed,” Carter grunted.  “Need me to break the news?”

Dom snorted, “Have half a mind to make Tanner do it.  But it’ll probably be better coming from us.”

“It is.”  Both guards jumped as Brian spoke at the entrance to the hall.  He was frowning, clearly having heard what they’d been discussing.

“Bri…”  Dom sighed, words failing him.  Instead he pulled the blonde in, hugging him close.  He was grateful for Carter’s supportive form stepping up to hold them as well.

The trio stood that way, not only comforting Brian but gaining strength from each other as well.

* * *

It was only the day after laying his father in the ground that Brian found himself in front of a room full of reporters.  It wasn’t anything new given his celebrity status but this was far from normal circumstances.  At least this time Dom and Carter were allowed to stand next to him.  They were close enough that he could practically feel them there, their presence grounding him.

Brian had gotten little time to make such big decisions- around forty-eight hours- when he should have instead been mourning his father.  Life was not always what someone wanted or deserved however, and so Dom and Carter had been Brian’s sounding boards.  They, along with Tanner, were the only ones that had any idea of what was to be announced that day and they were well aware not everyone would be happy about it.

Tanner introduced Brian who stepped up to the podium.  “I don’t have much to say in all honesty,” he started out, “but there is something I need to explain so that what I’m about to say might be better understood.”  He took a deep breath before continuing, “I never got to say goodbye to my father.  There’s questions I would’ve asked him.

“I would’ve asked him how he felt about what his company did… if he was conflicted, if he ever had doubts.  Or maybe he was every inch of the man he portrayed to the public.  But me?  All I see is that I’ve become part of a system that is comfortable with zero accountability.

“And that’s why, effective immediately, I am shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of O’Conner Industries.”

As expected, the room erupted with a flood of questions.  Brian held his hands up though, not caring about any of them.  His reasons were his own as far as he was concerned.  “All other operations will remain unchanged and Vice President Tanner will be taking over as CEO.  Any further questions you have can be directed to him.  Good-day.”

Brian shook Tanner’s hand before the older man pulled him into a half hug.  “Take care Brian,” he murmured in his ear.  “I’ll handle the fallout.”

“Thanks.”  He patted Tanner’s back before leaving the stage.  He was bailing, yes, but it was a strategic retreat.  It had actually been Nick’s idea, wanting to handle all the hard stuff that Brian didn’t have to be apart of.

When they got into the limo that was set to take them by the house so they could change before going to the airport, Brian loosened his tie.  “Fuck,” he grunted.

Carter laid a hand on his knee, giving it a squeeze.  “You did good.”

“Yeah,” Dom added, offering a tumbler of scotch to the blonde from the wet bar.

“Thanks guys.  Just hope I made the right decision.”  All of their other defense contracts wouldn’t be affected- working on things like body armor, vehicles, and technology- and there was still the possibility of moving into the private sector as well.  There would be more than enough to keep the company afloat and people employed.

“You did Bri,” Dom assured, scooting closer so their bodies touched along their lengths.

Carter nodded in agreement, mirroring his partner.  “You’ll never make everyone happy.  You worry about yourself and to hell with everyone else.”

That made Brian let out a dry laugh.  “Might be right.”  He sipped at the scotch before adding, “Though got two other people I gotta make happy too.”

His bodyguards only offered twin smiles, snuggling just that little bit closer.

* * *

Shanghai was the site of the Chinese Grand Prix.  Brian walked onto the track with a heavy heart.  Perhaps it was his lack of usual focus that led to what happened that weekend, or maybe it was simply dumb luck.  Whatever it was, it had almost killed him.

Brian sat on the hospital bed, thoroughly exhausted.  His two guards had been denied entry to his room until then and by the looks on their faces they weren’t happy.  They weren’t the only ones however as Jesse and Leon tailed them inside, followed by fellow racers Rome and Vince.

“Jesus Bri,” Leon murmured.

“Yo brah,” Rome greeted, coming to his side.  “How ya feel?”

“Like shit,” he grumbled.  “But at least I don’t gotta stay here overnight.”

“What they hit you with?” Vince asked, nodding towards the IV bag.

“Morphine.”  Brian’s grin was a bit lopsided.  “Everything hurt like fuck but nothing’s broken.  Just lots of bruises and scrapes.”

“And stitches,” Dom noted sourly.  There was a set of stitches that closed up the gash to his right forearm, but otherwise nothing was bad enough to warrant such treatment.

“Got lucky,” Brian admitted.

“Not really,” Leon announced.  All eyes turned to him and he said, “Jess and I checked out the wreckage.  There'll be an official investigation and it’ll say it was an accident...”

“But it wasn’t,” Jesse finished.

The wreck had been a spectacular mess to put it mildly.  At the time, Brian hadn’t been sure what had failed.  It had taken all his strength and knowledge of his car to keep it from going completely out of control.  Even so, the car went into a spin, sparks flying, and slamming him into the wall at a high rate of speed.  He’d lost consciousness momentarily and awoke when they were pulling him from the wreckage.

“The bolts were sheared,” Jesse continued.  “It can be written off as accidental but there’s no way.  The design and the parts we use?”

“ That  _ is  _ highly unlikely,” Dom agreed.

“Yeah, but messed with in just the right way, someone could have set it up so that they would break during the race.”

Leon frowned.  “There’s just no way to prove it was sabotage.”

Brian heaved a sigh, wondering if his team were simply overreacting.  He trusted their judgment but then everything going on with his father and the company had all of them on edge- and not just his bodyguards.  Either way, there wasn’t much he could do about it.

“I wanna go home,” was all he said, his voice betraying how tired he felt.

Carter offered, “I’ll go talk to the nurse about getting you discharged.”

* * *

Back at the hotel suite, Brian sat on the end of his bed, holding the ice pack to his head.  He knew he’d gotten cleared but damn did his head still hurt.  At least there was no concussion- Brian had been there, done that, and he didn’t feel like reliving it.  Still, this didn’t feel all that much better.

Carter was hovering like a mother hen, which was to be expected.  Honestly, no one would ever believe Brian if he told them.  The brunette was always so cool and calculating, and he had a presence about him that would make most people back down from his attitude alone.  Behind closed doors however, he was a sweetheart.

The same could be said for Dom, who typically melted into a big teddy bear whenever out of the public eye.  Except at the moment he was pacing around the room like a caged animal.  He looked about ready to explode by the time Brian sighed and asked, “Alright, go ahead and say it.”  When Dom paused, giving him a perplexed expression, he clarified, “Somethin’s up so just spill.”

With a snort Dom replied, “Ya couldda died out there Brian.”

“How’s that different from any other time I race?”

He narrowed his gaze at him.  “Ya heard Leon and Jess.  That  _ wasn’t  _ an accident.”

“You’re thinking what I’m thinking,” Carter chimed in.  “Whoever missed their opportunity might try again.”

“Exactly,” the other guard confirmed, “which means no more racing until we can-”

“Forget it,” Brian interrupted, tossing the ice pack aside on the bed.  “I’m not missing another one.  Two races with a no finish.  Do you have any idea how bad that's hurt me?!”

“Your life’s more important than the standings!” Dom bellowed back, not afraid to get into Brian’s personal space.

Brian’s expression was serious as he replied, “There’s nothing except this…  There’s no art opening, no charity, nothing to sign…  There’s the next race, and nothing else.”

“Is that so?” Dom rumbled.  When Brian gazed back evenly, he threw his hands up and started to walk away.  “Well then, I quit.”

“What?!” Carter yelled the same time Brian was getting to his feet to follow.

“You stood by my side all these years,” the blonde argued, grabbing his arm to spin the other man around.  “Now you’re just gonna walk out?”

Dom looked at him seriously.  “You’re going to kill yourself Bri.  I’m not gonna be apart of that.”

Brian’s face fell and he wet his lips, searching for words.  He opened his mouth but nothing came out except a strangled noise that caught in his throat.  Carter had stepped up behind him, frowning as he said, “Don’t leave us Dom.  We need you.”

Face softening, Dom found himself at a loss for words as well.  As he looked at his feet, trying to find the courage to admit what he’d been holding back- what they’d  _ all  _ been holding back- it was Brian who ended up making the first move.  Surging forward, their lips met in a kiss that was more enthusiasm than finesse- not that Dom was complaining.

It didn’t last long before Brian was pushing himself away, chest heaving as he stared into deep brown eyes.  “If yer leavin’ then fine,” he threw out.  “At least I got to do that since yer not workin’ for me anymore.”

There was a huff off to the side then and Brian’s attention was pulled to Carter as he grabbed hold of the blonde’s chin.  “Well if that’s what it takes then,” he spoke before pressing a kiss to Brian’s lips, “I quit too.”

Brian only stared at the man in disbelief a moment before he started to chuckle.  That ended up in full blown laughter, the other two following suit.  It was so utterly and completely ridiculous.  As the extra tension left the room, they were left standing there in wonder at each other.

“Ah fuck,” Dom murmured before heaving a sigh.  “Ya know I can never leave ya.”  He looked at Carter, adding, “Or you for that matter.”

“Well, at least we agree,” was the brunette’s coy reply, complete with matching grin.

Brian had a bright, cheeky smile on his face as he asked, “Sooo, does that mean if I rehire your asses that you’ll be signing a sexual harassment waiver?”

“ Keep dreamin’  Carino .”  Dom smirked, slipping his arm around his waist.  “Ya can rehire us or not… we’re stayin’.  So get used to it.”

Carter smirked, moving in next to them and placing a kiss at the back of Brian’s jaw, nipping at the bone before murmuring in his ear, “That’s right  Corazon .  You’re all ours… whether you like it or not.”

The blonde smirked then.  “Oh, I like.”

“Good.”  He turned to look at Dom when the man tapped him on the shoulder.

“Think there’s just one more thing to make it official,” Dom mentioned, leaning in to kiss Carter.  The brunette grinned against his mouth, kissing back.

The trio had been dancing around each other for a long time.  Each had been afraid to make the first move, to cross that line that had been drawn between personal and professional.  They could all be pretty certain then that they were saying to Hell with such things.

Enough was enough- it was time to fall into bed together.

* * *

The British Grand Prix was being held in Silverstone as always.  It was one of Brian’s favorite tracks to race- a favorite of a lot of the other drivers as well.  It had long been considered the home of Formula One and it was a prestigious place to win.

For Brian it was certainly a momentous occasion.  Coming back in the stats after wrecking out the previous race, as well as when he disqualified himself to save Vince, Brian took the checkered flag.  There was a ton of celebrating in his pit and the press were raving over the headlines it made.  Brian, he was just thrilled to have taken home a top place, especially after all the trouble he’d had that season.

They ended up going to a local pub to celebrate- Brian’s team, Vince, Rome, and a few other drivers.  They had practically taken over the place as fans naturally found out their location and flooded there.  By the time Brian and his new lovers showed up, the party was already underway.

With an easy smile, Brian saddled up to his pit manager and grinned at the lithe brunette.  “Having fun?” he teased, not missing the way Leon and Vince had been glued to each other before the latter had gone to the bar to get new beers.

Blushing slightly, Leon knocked their shoulders together.  “I could ask you the same thing,” he shot back.  “Yer a little late.”  To that Brian just stuck his tongue out, biting down on it cheekily.

Despite being together now, his boyfriends still acted like guards within a public setting such as they were and thus trailed up to the bar.  The blonde thumped Vince on the shoulder, earning a slight smile in return.  “Yo brah!” Rome spoke from the brunette’s other side.  “Bout time you showed up!”

The bartender placed drinks in front of both of them, turning to Brian in silent question.  He tapped the bar saying, “Gimme a scotch.  I’m starving.”

There was a warm chuckle in his ear- Dom- before the man asked for a Corona.  Carter leaned over between Brian and Vince, asking for Crown Royal.  The blonde raised a brow at them.  “Yer actually drinking with me?” he inquired- knowing they considered themselves currently “on the job.”

“Just one,” Dom answered sternly.

“We need to celebrate,” Carter added with a shrug.

And celebrate they did.

Brian found himself on the dance floor, plastered between his lovers.  The pulsing music flowed through him, capturing him in its beat.  Though to their word the guards didn’t imbibe in drink any more, they didn’t stop Brian from having a good time.  He gave them each a lingering kiss before leaving them curled together on the dance floor to grab another beer.

He leaned up against the bar, waving at the barkeep.  The man sitting on the stool beside Brian turned his attention to him.  “You’re Brian, aren’t you?” he asked, his voice distinctly British.  “Brian O’Conner.”

“Yeah, that’s me,” he answered with an easy smile.  The bartender approached, another cold Corona in hand.  Brian thanked him, laying the bills on the bar top.  He turned then to look over the man who’d spoken.  He had a lean build with dark hair shaved close to his head.  It was hard to tell in the dim light exactly what color his eyes were, but they were pale and rather pretty.

“Owen,” he offered with his hand.  Brian shook it before taking a swig of his beer.  “This is rather embarrassing- and you probably hear it all the time- but I’m a huge fan.”  Brian’s smile must have been encouraging because the man continued, “I hate to ask…”

Brian knew where things were going and pulled out a black sharpie from his back pocket that wore a spot in most of his jeans since he tended to carry one for just such occasions.  At that Owen grinned at him but then it faltered.  “Er, I don’t really have anything…”  He was looking around and spotted some business cards sitting on the end of the bar, grabbing one to give to Brian.

As the racer signed the back of the card for him, Owen started to talk cars.  “So I remember reading that you have a Skyline?”  When Brian confirmed it, handing back the card, he asked, “So you prefer tuners then?”

“Most of the time,” Brian admitted before taking another swig of his beer.

Owen smirked.  “I’m an Aston Martin guy myself.  My newest acquisition is simply  _ stunning _ .”  Brian raised a curious brow and the man added, “It’s a DB9.”

“Very nice.”

At that, Owen stood, leaning against the bar as he mentioned, “It’s right outside.  Wanna take a look at ‘er?”

Brian’s face lit up.  Of course he wasn’t the only one that was a car enthusiast and knew that while it wasn’t what Dom usually liked that he would enjoy checking it out all the same.  He motioned towards the dance floor while he said, “Yeah man, sounds great.  Lemme go grab a couple of the guys and-”

Owen waved him off though.  “Why spoil their good time?”  He looked over his shoulder towards Dom and Carter.  “They look a little busy to me anyway.  Come on,” he encouraged with a slap to Brian’s shoulder.  “We won’t be long…  Won’t even know you’re gone.”

The way Owen gave him an easy smile, Brian couldn’t help but nod.  “Yeah… Sure.  Why not?”

He followed Owen out of the side door of the bar, spotting the DB9 among the throng of cars in the small back lot.  “Light’s not exactly great,” Owen said by way of apology.  It was true- it was rather dark back there, a couple of the lights being burned out.  When the brunette leaned in to start the car though, it completely made up for it.

Brian grinned from ear to ear, listening to the engine as it practically purred.  Owen popped the hood, allowing the blonde a look.  “Have you had to do much restoration?” he asked.

“ She was in good shape when I got her,” he answered.  “But I’ve made some improvements.”  He had come up behind Brian, leaning against him a bit.  Before the blonde could comment on the proximity however, a rag wrapped around his mouth and nose.  There was no chance to struggle or call out, his world fading to darkness.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Groaning, Brian fought through the fog he was in.  It seemed to take forever before he was able to open his eyes, his tongue thick in his mouth with a strange taste present. He took in his surroundings- a small, windowless room.  It was concrete, probably a storage room or part of a warehouse.  There was a single lightbulb hanging above him, casting eerie shadows across the room.

As he shifted, he realized he had a hand cuffed to the chair he was sitting on, and trying to move _that_ revealed it was bolted to the floor.   _Just great,_ he thought sourly.  His head was pounding and it took him a few minutes to piece together how he ended up in that position.   _That guy… Owen._ He’d been set up, kidnapped, but to what end?

At least the man in question didn’t make him wait long.  The single door into the room opened and Brian was able to catch a glimpse out to see a warehouse filled with boxes and crates.   _So, no one nearby to hear if I yell.  This keeps getting better and better._

Deciding not to beat around the bush, Brian glared up at his captor.  “What the fuck?” he demanded.

The smirk that crossed Owen’s face wasn’t the same friendly one from the pub- it was almost feral.  “I’ll make this simple so you can understand,” he answered, coming closer.  “You fucked up my plans O’Conner.”

“Yeah?  And what might those be?”

“I required certain military hardware for an upcoming job.  And do you know _where_ those guns were supposed to come from?  An American arms dealer that suddenly just _stopped_ all manufacturing.”  He growled then, circling around behind him as he continued.  “I worked a long time to get someone on the inside, to make it so I could get what I needed, and now… now we have a problem Brian.”  Leaning in to speak in the blonde’s ear he hissed, “Now the job is _fucked_ and you will be too if I don’t get my guns.”

“This is about weapons?” he asked through grit teeth.

As though he didn’t hear him, Owen continued his walk around Brian.  “I figured that little _accident_ of yours would have had you thinking twice about what you did, but I guess it wasn’t a big enough hint.  So I decided on the direct approach this time.”

Brian paled, mouth going dry as Owen stopped in front of him once more.  “You caused the accident?  How the hell did you get access to the track?”

Owen’s feral grin was back as he leaned down into his space.  “Didn’t I introduce myself?  Owen…  Owen _Shaw_.”  As Brian’s eyes widened, the brunette pulled away.  “I believe you know my older brother.”  There was a satisfied grin on his face.  “So you see, I get clearance to all the tracks, as well as the pits.  After that… the rest was child’s play really.”

“You couldda killed me!” Brian growled out.

“Unlikely.  If it’s one thing I will admit, it’s that you’re good.  The car was designed to fail in a way that wouldn’t cause major injury… so long as the person behind the wheel knew what they were doing.  Lucky for us you do.”

Brian looked down at his lap, biting his tongue.  He knew Dom and Carter would find him but that meant staying alive until then.  As such, he couldn’t rightly say what was on his mind at the moment.  What was more, he may have had to do something a bit… drastic.

Steeling himself for what he was about to do, Brian took a deep breath before letting it out in a laugh.  Naturally he noticed Owen freeze as he threw his head back, laughing loud and open.  He must have seemed insane and honestly that was how he felt under the circumstances.

“That’s just…”  Brian laughed some more before taking a deep breath in a show of effort to calm himself enough to talk.  “That’s seriously rich.”  He looked up at Owen, watching the man’s nostrils flare.  “You think you can’t get yer guns and you resort to _this_?”  Shaking his head, Brian held back further laughter as he said, “It’s called under the table black market deals.”

That had Owen taking a step back in surprise.  At that, Brian smirked.  “I’m not stupid.  I know how this business is.  I say one thing to the public… I do something else out the back door.  That’s the way it works.  You of all people should know that.”

It was Owen’s turn to chuckle, shaking his head.  “Well, well…”

“Money talks,” Brian continued, watching the way Owen circled him again.  That time it could only be described as _stalking_.  As the brunette came around towards the front, Brian licked his lips as he added almost coyly, “Then again, sex is a good alternative.”

Owen’s smile was all predator and the intent in his eyes was clear.  Brian only hoped the gamble paid off.  If things went bad he could end up raped, dead, or both.  However if he could get himself free, could take the guy off-guard, then he might have a fighting chance of surviving the night.

“I think we could make an arrangement,” Owen answered, slinking closer until Brian could reach out and touch his hip with his free hand.

Looking up with smoldering eyes, the blonde let his fingers run under the waistband of Owen’s designer jeans.  “ _Oh no_ … you could have really fucked me up with that stunt you pulled.  I think _both_ will be required to make it up to me.”  Owen didn’t really seem to have qualms about that and to seal the deal Brian tugged at his cuffed arm pointedly.  “These I’ll just write off as being kinky.”

Grinning, Owen leaned down, getting in his face.  His eyelids drooped as he all but purred out, “Oh the fun we will have.”

It took all of Brian’s self-control not to sneer, not to mouth off.  Instead he sent a silent apology to his lovers, swallowed his pride- and the vomit building in the back of his throat- and moved the rest of the way to press their lips together.

Almost immediately Owen took over the kiss, fingers threading into blonde curls and holding almost painfully tight.  The brunette’s tongue demanded entrance and the shudder Brian gave at the intrusion must have been taken positively because there was a grin against his mouth as he was tugged closer.  Of course it was a shudder of disgust but he had to hide it as the other pulled away.

“Very fun indeed,” Owen confirmed, voice a bit husky.

There was a sly grin on his face as Brian tugged once more at the cuffs and offered, “Could be a lot more fun.”  Making sure that Shaw didn’t suspect it was all a ploy, he was quick to add, “We can negotiate the monetary payment afterward.”

Owen laughed at that, producing the handcuff key.  “Darling, you and I will be quite the force to be reckoned with.”  He bent at the waist to undo the cuff.  The moment Brian felt himself get free, he pounced.

It felt good taking the man off guard, putting him on the ground.  Dom had never been an idle bodyguard and had started teaching Brian self-defense techniques almost from the first day he was assigned.  Brian had appreciated not being treated with kid gloves and clearly it was paying off.

As Owen tried to stand, the blonde kicked out at the back of his knee, hearing something pop satisfyingly.  Brian wasn’t sticking around to gloat, flying out the door as curses followed him.

However there was one major flaw in Brian’s plan.  It appeared he was in an incredibly massive warehouse and there wasn’t any clear exit.  The rows of crates and containers weren’t even stacked in neat rows, making the prospect of escape even worse.  Adrenaline coursing through him, Brian picked a direction to run, hoping to find an outer wall and follow it to an exit.

Of course that didn’t work out so well either.  It seemed they weren’t alone in the building and one after another of Shaw’s lackeys made an appearance- including a blonde woman who almost punched him in the face before he got hold of her wrist, breaking it, before he chucked her over him and slammed her into a nearby pile of boxes.  Although he wasn’t about to try the same with a large wall of muscle that stood in his path and _growled_.

Brian had panicked a bit after that, taking another course and completely forgetting his plan to get to an outer wall.  Every turn took him deeper into the maze, every corner another chance for someone to pop out and drive him into another direction.  When he finally did locate a wall, he found himself trapped between four people- including Muscle Man.

As he pressed himself back against the wall, eyes traveling rapidly between them, a voice drew his attention.  From behind a row of crates appeared one very pissed off Owen Shaw.  “Nice try,” he snarled out.  He was walking with a clear limp- at least Brian could say he got one over on the man, though it didn’t make him feel much better.  “Why make things harder on yourself?”

Brian snorted at that, raising his chin defiantly.  He wasn’t going to just lay down.  It was suicidal, sure, but that simply wasn’t him.  “Wouldn’t be me if I didn’t,” he answered firmly.  He was pretty sure that he shouldn’t have sounded so proud of the fact, but hey, no one could say he ever learned when to shut his mouth.

“Y’know,” Owen mentioned, drawing menacingly closer, “I believe I’m going to enjoy this more than I thought.”

Brian wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of begging or even looking scared.  All he did was glare, putting himself into the same zone of focus he got in while driving.  People called him cold for it, called him the Snowman.  “Go to hell Shaw,” he said, anticipating the punch to the face.  Even then, feeling the blood from his split lip, Brian’s resolve never wavered.

The gleam in Owen’s eyes was manic, his grin dangerous, as his fist twisted into Brian’s shirt, dragging him closer.  “I’m going to make you scream,” he threatened lowly.  “Going to make you _beg_ me to kill you.  And when I’m done with you… I’m going to cut out your heart and send it to those bodyguards of yours.”

Now _that_ was enough to get a raise from Brian.  Nostrils flaring, he growled out a “fuck you” as he headbutted the man.  It hurt like hell, but by the yell from Owen he knew he hit his mark.  He had impacted the bridge of Owen’s nose and when Brian fell away against the wall he saw the brunette holding it, blood rolling down his wrist.

“Bad move,” Owen spat, drawing his hand away to pull the knife sheathed at his lower back.  As the fluorescent light caught it, Brian cursed for not having seen it before in order to take it himself.  Owen licked his lips, tasting his own blood and smearing it, the glint in his eyes turning more feral as he flipped the blade into a backhand grip.

Just when it looked as though Brian were completely screwed, a clatter was heard off to his left.  They all looked, watching a small canister roll across the concrete.  “Shit!” Owen yelled, but it was already too late.  The flash bang went off in a stunning bright light.

Brian grabbed his head, his eyes squeezed shut as his ears started to ring.  He was disoriented and found it hard to breathe.  He had no idea how long the flashbang stunned him or how he had ended up sinking down to the ground against the wall.  When he started to be able to hear sound again it was as though under water and he jerked back away from someone’s touch.

“Bri, it’s us,” he thought he heard said.

“Are you okay?” another asked.

Still a bit dazed, he opened his eyes- only a bit because they stung.  He was able to see two figures crouched next to him and the moment his brain caught up with things he flung himself forward into their arms.  “You came!” he gushed, an arm wrapped around each of their necks.  “I knew you’d find me.”

“We’re here Corazon,” Carter assured, hand sliding up and down his back.

Dom’s was rubbing into his scalp to calm him.  “Sorry it took so long.”

Brian shook his head furiously, pulling back to look at them.  “No, no… I’m the one that should be sorry.  Got myself into this mess being stupid.”

“Well you did do that,” Carter admitted with a smirk, receiving a knock against his shoulder with Dom’s own, throwing him off balance.  He caught himself though, shoving Dom right back but there was no heat in either of their actions.

“You’re safe,” Dom assured, “That’s all that matters.”

Carter could only nod in agreement, taking the blonde’s chin gently to look him over.  His thumb brushed gently over Brian’s lower lip, frowning as he took in the cut and bruising.  “Bastard,” he growled softly.  “He hit you.”

Dom glared over his shoulder to where the special response team was hauling Owen to his feet.  “Looks like our boy got his own in,” he observed.  When Shaw looked at them, Dom’s grin was smug.  “Got somethin’ on yer face,” he noted, motioning around his own nose area.

Owen spat onto the ground.  “Fuck you and your little bitch.”

Growling, Dom stood, only to be headed off by Carter.  The brunette was cool as could be, his own shark grin ten times scarier than Owen’s.  “Seems to me the only one around here about to be a bitch is you,” he mused, the cocky smirk on his face only growing as Owen was hauled off, kicking up a fuss.

“Damn Carter,” Brian snarked as Dom reached down in order to help him stand. “Your claws are showing.”

“Bastard deserves worse,” was all the man noted before sidling up next to his lover.  His face morphed into concern then.  “Are you alright?”

He nodded.  “I will be.  If I couldn’t take a punch then what kind of reckless idiot would I be?”

Carter shook his head, nuzzling into Brian’s curls.  He wanted him close- they both did.  As Dom shifted to Brian's other side, one of the officers was coming up to them.  “Mr. O’Conner, the medics were standing by up the street and should be arriving shortly.”

“I’m fine,” he insisted.  “Just wanna go home.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Dom answered for him.  “And before you ask,” he continued, raising the free hand not wrapped around Brian’s waist, “we’ll bring him by the station tomorrow for a debrief.  Right now he needs to rest.”

The officer appeared as though he wanted to argue, but facing down twin glares from the bodyguards made him rethink.  “Very well,” he agreed before walking away.

Suddenly feeling exhausted, Brian sighed heavily.  “Can we please go back to the hotel?”

“Come on,” Dom agreed gently, neither man letting go of Brian until they absolutely had to.

* * *

The drive back had been silent, nothing said until the trio was safely tucked away in their suite.  “What were you thinking?” Dom sighed, wrapping around behind Brian protectively.  His chin rested on the blonde’s shoulder, placing soft kisses at the back of his jaw.

Sighing as well, Brian leaned back against him, shutting his eyes.  “Wasn’t,” he admitted.  “Got blinded by a nice car.”

“Only you,” Carter chastised gently, stepping into their space.  His hand reached out and cupped Brian’s wounded jaw gently, running his thumb lightly over his bruised cheekbone.  “Corazon…” he murmured sadly.

Brian opened his eyes to find a deep frown on his lover’s face, knowing Dom was probably mirroring the expression.  Carter had shed his jacket on a chair already, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows.  Brian whimpered, stepping closer so he could press against the brunette, pulling Dom with him.

“I’m sorry,” Brian whispered.  “I’m so sorry.”  With that, the whole weight of what had happened sank in and he started to cry.  He clung onto Carter, feeling both men holding him in comfort.  “I’m sorry,” he kept repeating softly.

“Nothing to be sorry for,” Carter spoke in his ear, trying to shush him.

“Yeah…”  Brian drew in a shaky breath as he said, “Shouldn't ‘ave left the bar.  You guys were so worried somethin’ would happen again ‘n’ I jus’ left.”

Dom sighed, nuzzling his jaw.  “You couldn’t have known anything like that would happen Bri.”  He wanted to scold him, tell him he should have known better, but it would have been cruel.  Brian knew he was wrong and he had almost paid dearly for it.

“You taught me better than that,” Brian argued, craning his neck to look at him with one wet blue eye.  Knowing it was true, all Dom could do was give him a squeeze, putting his nose into Brian’s neck.  The blonde had _never_ listened to his bodyguards before Dom. Brian had said that it was because none of them had ever respected him- Dom was the first to treat Brian as though he weren’t completely helpless.

“You’re safe,” Carter insisted, trying to remind them all of the fact.  Taking hold of Brian’s face, he turned it until those blue eyes met his.  “Just promise not to do it again.”

Brian nodded immediately.  “Promise.”  There were still tears falling and Carter wiped them away as best he could.  He kissed him gently on the lips in reassurance.

However all that did was set Brian off again.  That wasn’t the only thing bothering him.  “Shaw… I… he…”

“Shaw?” Dom questioned, obviously thinking he meant Ian.

“The guy that had me…  It was Ian’s brother.”  They both froze at that and Brian was quick to add, “I don’t think he knew what Owen was up to.”  It had been in the way Owen talked.  Of course the authorities would be doing their own investigation into the matter.

“Son of a-” Carter started.

“I kissed him,” Brian blurted out, holding his breath.  When neither man answered he bit his lip before explaining, “He had me handcuffed and I tricked him into letting me go so I could escape.”

“Oh Brian,” Dom sighed, pulling him closer if it were even possible.

“ _Mi tesoro,_ ” Carter murmured, holding them both as well.  “That was so brave.”

“Didn’t feel brave,” Brian muttered in return.  “Felt like I wanted to hurl.”

“You did what you could to survive,” Dom reminded.  “Can’t hold that against you.”  Brian felt relief wash over him.  He’d been more terrified of what their reaction would be than he was staring down Owen’s knife.  “Come on,” Dom continued.  “Lets go to bed.  We’ll figure out the rest tomorrow.”

Not about to argue, Brian nodded, letting his lovers take the lead.  With the relief came exhaustion and he moved sluggishly to follow.  They undressed before pulling on sleep pants and slipping into bed.  Brian was pressed between them, Carter spooned up behind him as the blonde burrowed his nose into Dom’s neck.  Dom put his arm around him, grasping hold of Carter’s arm and caging Brian protectively between them.

Wrapped in their warmth, Brian felt the pull of sleep and he didn’t fight it once he’d murmured out an “I love you guys.”  He heard echoes of his declaration as he fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

The final race of the season was being held at the Monte Carlo track.  This one was always a huge deal for the O’Conner team because it was a street race and well suited to them.  Brian had gotten off to a great start by qualifying for pole position.  Given all that, no one was really surprised when he took home yet another first place finish for the season.

Brian held onto his lovers once they’d made it safely back to their hotel suite.  It would be nice to get back home to Malibu, to enjoy the time off until the next racing season came around.  For the moment however, Brian just wanted to take advantage of the privacy and the high he was still riding from the win, Carter and Dom more than happy to oblige.

If there was one thing they knew- other than the deep love they shared for each other- it was that they'd been on a collision course since the start.

/End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Were you able to find all the Iron Man references? Hope you all enjoyed my little AU. It will never get old writing these three.
> 
> Follow me on [Tumblr](http://thedenofcaseywolfe.tumblr.com/).


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